


Latching On

by Hyunjins_lipring



Series: Latching On [1]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Chan is a protective dad, Changbin and Jisung are best friends, Changbin is so whipped so fast, Felix and Chan are best friends, Felix is the softest boy uwu, Figure Skater AU, Jisung likes to give him crap for it, M/M, Warning: brief non-consensual touching in one chapter, alternating pov, sort of slow burn I guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-03
Updated: 2019-03-05
Packaged: 2019-09-06 12:05:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16832293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hyunjins_lipring/pseuds/Hyunjins_lipring
Summary: The first thing Changbin noticed was the gorgeous contrast between the boy’s sunset-orange hair and the light turquoise top he was wearing. Changbin was transfixed. He had never seen someone move so beautifully. He supposed he had never seen someone so beautiful in general.(Or, Changbin and Felix are figure skaters and neither of them can control their emotions)





	1. Chapter One

Changbin slipped into an open seat at the top section of the arena just as the men's free skate was starting at Skate Canada in Montreal, Quebec. Jisung was up first. Even though he had seen his best friend nail his program countless times in practice, Changbin was still anxious for Jisung. He knew how nervous the younger boy could be sometimes before he hit the ice. It was his first competition in the senior division, after all. The whole reason Changbin came today was because Jisung insisted his nerves weren't as bad when he knew that someone he loved was there to watch. Changbin, on the other hand, was always chill as a cucumber. He never hesitated or second-guessed himself when it came to figure skating, the one thing he was always truly confident about. 

“Representing South Korea, Han Jisung!”

Jisung entered the rink, gliding across the ice to the halfway point, and hit his starting position right in front of the judges. Changbin could tell even from his high vantage point that Jisung was nervous. Saying a silent prayer, Changbin attempted to somehow telepathically communicate with his friend. ‘Come on, Jisung, you got this.’ 

As soon as the music began -- a Queen medley starting with “Don't Stop Me Now” -- Jisung’s facial expression changed completely, his eyes lighting up, with a joyful smile playing on his lips. He was always one to play it up during his skates. While Changbin himself preferred to skate to darker, more dramatic programs, Jisung often used happier, upbeat music. It matched his cheerful personality. 

The skate was a success for the most part. Jisung landed all of his jumps, albeit a little wobbly, but the footwork was perfect and his personality really shone through. And, boy, does he skate fast. Changbin could never understand how that kid gained so much speed on the ice. 

After a few more skaters, including a boy named Bang Chan from Australia who easily impressed everyone with three effortless quad loops, it was finally time for the last program. Felix Lee, also from Australia, stepped out onto the ice and the first thing that Changbin noticed was the gorgeous contrast between the boy’s sunset-orange hair and the light turquoise top he was wearing. He was a bit skinny, but Changbin could see -- all thanks to the tight black pants Felix wore -- that his legs were well toned. He was quite stunning, really. 

‘Felix Lee.’ He must be new to the senior division because Changbin had never heard of him before, but he nonetheless found himself really hoping that this boy was good. 

When Felix started his choreography to the acoustic version of “Latch” by Sam Smith, Changbin was transfixed. The way Felix moved made Changbin feel the emotion behind the lyrics in a way he never had before. He had never seen someone move so beautifully. He supposed he had never seen someone so beautiful in general. 

At the end of the competition, Jisung got 6th, Felix got 2nd, and the other Australian boy, Chan, got 5th. Changbin went out into the lobby area to congratulate Jisung, who was standing close to the wall talking with Chan. 

Wait. There was a third person with them. With sunset-colored hair. Changbin’s breath hitched slightly. 

Did Jisung know Felix? Changbin hoped his friend could introduce him to the younger skater, but then realized he wasn't sure if he could handle that. Jisung spotted Changbin within seconds and motioned for him to join them. Changbin nodded at him and slowly walked over, his heart pounding in his chest. Oh wow, Felix got even more beautiful as Changbin got closer. He considered just running out now and texting a ‘Congrats!!!’ to Jisung later. 

But before he could finish his thought, he was standing next to Jisung, directly across from Felix, and Changbin was staring. Now that he wasn't so far away, Changbin could see all the pretty details in the younger boy’s face. The sparkle in his wide, innocent-looking eyes. The way his cute button nose was slightly upturned. Changbin took note of how perfectly pink Felix's lips were, and how the top lip was slightly thicker than the bottom. He wondered if they were soft. He was sure they were. 

‘You just met this kid, chill out,’ Changbin thought to himself. He had to get a grip. He was here to congratulate Jisung, not to become smitten over some boy he hasn't even technically met yet. 

Changbin somehow managed to tear his away gaze from Felix’s face -- was the boy blushing? -- and turned to Jisung next to him. 

“Hey, that was great. You should be really proud of yourself,” Changbin said as he put arm around his best friend, pulling him in tight. 

Jisung smiled brightly. “Thanks, Binnie! I actually want you to meet some new friends I met today!” He motioned towards a boy with fluffy, blonde hair and kind eyes, who Changbin recognized as the Australian with all the impressive jumps. “This is Chan. His jumps are the best I've ever seen. Did you see him skate?”

“I did actually. You're really good.” Changbin said to Chan, who smiled and humbly thanked him. “I wish I could do that many quads in one program. I'd probably fall on my ass.”

A small giggle sounded next to Chan. Changbin glanced over, realizing he had just made Felix laugh. He felt a small burst of pride in his chest, coupled along with complete adoration for Felix’s smile. His teeth were perfect and so white, and the way his nose scrunched up a bit was almost too cute for Changbin to handle. But the best part was that when Felix smiled, his eyes became even more beautiful. They turned into perfectly-shaped crescent moons, and Changbin thought that they shined brighter than the stars at night.

“And this is Felix.” Jisung’s voice snapped Changbin back into reality. “Felix, this is Changbin.”

Felix held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Woah. Changbin was not expecting that voice to come out just now. It was so deep and just… woah. The only way he could think to describe it was as if someone had made a bass guitar out of velvet. He felt a small shiver run down his spine.

Changbin looked down at Felix’s hand in front of him. He knew this was a normal thing people do when they first meet, but Changbin felt slightly terrified to shake Felix’s hand. He knew Felix wouldn't appreciate the sweat that had accumulated on his palms during this short conversation. 

After telling himself to man up, Changbin took Felix’s hand in his and tried his best to perform a proper handshake. He briefly wondered if this counted as holding hands. 

Changbin couldn't look Felix in the eye. He just stared at their linked hands. “Nice to meet you, too.” Could his breath stop being so shaky? And why does his mouth feel so dry?

Changbin was too lost his own thoughts to realize that he was still holding onto Felix’s hand -- probably for too long -- until Chan loudly cleared his throat. Changbin quickly pulled his hand away as if Felix’s hand was on fire. He didn't notice the fond smirk on Felix’s face. 

“Changbin’s also a figure skater! Maybe you guys will see him skate at a competition sometime!” Jisung stated excitedly in an attempt to break the tension. 

Felix made direct contact with Changbin and smiled before replying, “Yeah, hopefully.”

Changbin suddenly couldn't remember how to breathe. 

Jisung exchanged phone numbers with Chan and Felix, who both promised to keep in touch. When they all turned to go their separate ways, Changbin took a quick peek behind him back at Felix, who was looking behind himself back at Changbin. They both stopped for a moment. Felix smiled sweetly and waved at Changbin before running to catch up to Chan. 

Changbin just stood there, watching Felix walk away. He barely heard Jisung yell his name before he was being pulled backwards by the arm. 

“Stop staring already. You're being creepy,” Jisung exclaimed a little too loudly. Changbin yanked his arm from Jisung’s grip and pretended not to hear anything. 

“Whatever happened to ‘I'm Seo Changbin, I don't get nervous,’ huh?” Jisung joked. 

Changbin felt his face turn bright red. He glared at Jisung. “Shut up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fan fiction I have ever written. I'm super proud of myself for actually writing this. I have an outline planned and everything, but I always start things and never follow through, so this is kind of a big deal for me haha. I'm not exactly sure how long this thing is going to be, but I'm thinking of updating once a week. Maybe every Monday?? I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter!! Next chapter is Felix's POV.


	2. Chapter Two

As he and Chan rode in the backseat of the car on the way back to their hotel, Felix couldn't stop thinking about the way Changbin was looking at him earlier. Felix must have been blushing like crazy, he was sure. There was something about the older boy’s sharp facial features and dark, intense eyes that made Felix’s heart skip a beat. He found Changbin to be an endearing combination of mysterious yet adorable, a juxtaposition that was a bit overwhelming for his young brain. 

Chan must have noticed him staring out the car window longingly, because suddenly Felix felt him lightly nudge his side. He turned to look innocently at Chan, who was looking back at him with a sort of soft teasing look in his eyes. 

“What are you thinking about?” Chan asked, even though he knew the answer. 

Felix couldn't stop the embarrassed smile from forming on his face. Chan always knew exactly what was going on in Felix’s mind. He was also extremely protective of his younger friend, which Felix considered to be both a blessing and a curse. 

Knowing he could never lie to his best friend, Felix decided to just be up front about his thoughts. “Jisung’s friend kept staring at me,” he stated, with a small twinkle in his eye. 

Immediately falling into protective-dad-mode, Chan asked gently but sternly, “Did that bother you?”

Felix’s eyes became soft as he gazed back out the window. “No, actually”

If Felix was being honest with himself, he had to admit he was actually quite flattered by Changbin’s staring. He wondered if he should have felt uncomfortable about the situation, and maybe with anyone else, he would have been. But with Changbin, even though they had only just met each other, things felt different somehow. He sincerely hoped this wasn't the only time he would see the boy. 

Felix spoke up once more. “He was…” ‘Cute. Adorable. Sweet.’ “...Oddly charming, wasn't he?”

Chan just looked straight ahead without saying a word. 

The two boys eventually reached their shared hotel room, where Felix immediately flopped onto his bed from exhaustion. It wasn't too late into the night, so Chan decided to head down to the dining room before it closed, leaving Felix with nothing but his own thoughts. 

As he lay there, he began to wonder what sort of skater Changbin was. Felix smiled dreamily as he pictured him in a sparkly costume, performing a perfect layback spin. At that moment, he wanted nothing more than to see Changbin skate in person. 

Just then, Felix’s phone made a ‘ping’ noise, startling him out of his thoughts. He leaned over to grab to his phone from his duffel bag on the floor, and saw that he had received a text message from Jisung. 

[10:02pm] Jisung: Hey :) Did you and Chan make it back safely?

[10:03pm] Felix: Yeah, thanks! How about you?

[10:04pm] Jisung: Yup! Changbin’s acting kinda weird tho :P

Felix would be lying if he said he wasn't glad Jisung had brought up Changbin. 

[10:05pm] Felix: Oh? Like how?

[10:07pm] Jisung: He's just being really distant? He seemed a bit flustered on the way back from the competition. Doesn't usually get like that. 

Felix thought back to the way Changbin’s hand felt in his earlier that day. It was warm, but not in a gross way. The warmth was actually somewhat comforting. Changbin had held on for a bit longer than necessary, not that Felix had minded one bit. But Changbin had then pulled his hand away so fast that Felix couldn't help but notice the boy was a bit flustered. 

[10:10pm] Jisung: Lol maybe you made him lose his cool. 

Felix must have read that text ten times over. ‘So Jisung noticed it, too.’ He hoped Changbin wasn't too embarrassed. Felix began to feel sort of sorry for him. 

[10:12pm] Jisung: I didn't mean that in a bad way. Changbin’s just so chill most of the time. It's almost like a special achievement to be able to throw him off haha.

[10:13pm] Felix: Oh haha. What would I have done to throw him off so much?

[10:14pm] Jisung: He probably just thought you were pretty tbh ;)

Felix’s breath quickened. Did Changbin really think he was pretty? 

He tried his best to sound casual in the next message. 

[10:16pm] Felix: Eh I'm not sure about that lol. 

[10:17pm] Jisung: I'm his best friend. Trust me. I can tell what he's thinking. 

What was Felix supposed to say that? ‘I also think your friend is absolutely adorable, I want to know him as well as anyone can know someone, I want to feel his hand in mine again, I can't stop thinking about the way our eyes met for that brief second before we walked away.’ 

Felix decided it would be best to text Jisung goodnight and try to get some sleep. Perhaps his head would be more clear in the morning. After washing up, he climbed into bed and watched some baking show on television for about half an hour until Chan returned. 

Chan crossed the room and sat down on his own bed across from Felix, looking at the boy like a proud parent. “You were really amazing today. I think it was the best I've ever seen you skate.” 

Felix felt his heart swell due to Chan’s praise. He always wanted to make his friend proud. A warm smile spread across his face. “Aw thanks, Chan. You were great, too.”

Chan’s face became slightly more serious. “This could be the best season you've ever had. As long as you don't let anything distract you.”

He stood up and walked into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. Felix knew Chan always had the best intentions. He just wanted what was best for his friend. But Felix could have both a Grand Prix medal and a social life, right?

~ ~ ~ 

When Felix checked his phone the next morning, he saw that he had missed one last text from Jisung. It must have came in right after Felix feel asleep. 

[11:32pm] Jisung: He doesn't know I'm doing this, but you should text Changbin sometime :)

There was a phone number at the end of the message, which Felix saved to his phone immediately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm trying to make each chapter at least 1k. I know that's kind of short, but it works best for the way I have the story broken up. I really enjoy writing this fic, and I hope you guys enjoy reading it just as much!!   
> Oh! And follow me on tumblr!! @hyunjins-lipring


	3. Chapter Three

Changbin woke up early the next morning feeling like he had been hit by truck. He hadnt gotten much sleep the night before, although he supposed that was his own fault. 

~ ~ ~ 

As soon as he and Jisung had arrived back at their hotel room after the competition, Changbin grabbed his earbuds and settled into bed, not even bothering to shower first. His mind was much too occupied to care. 

Opening up the YouTube app on his phone, Changbin wondered briefly if this was bad idea. Was this normal behavior? He was only going check out some skating videos of a new friend. Who he had just met that same day. And who he most likely already had a massive crush on. That's not weird, though, right? He'd just watch one or two. 

Changbin wound up watching videos of Felix skating for almost two hours straight. He couldn't stop himself from clicking on one video after another. It was almost as if he was in a trance while watching the boy. Felix was just too beautiful. It wasn't fair. How was Changbin supposed to be able to pay attention to anything else?

He didnt even realize what time it was until he heard Jisung chuckle over on the next bed, breaking Changbin out of his daze. He glanced over at the younger boy, who looked like he was plotting something while typing out a text on his phone. Changbin didnt give it a second thought -- it was just Jisung being Jisung -- but figured he should probably go to sleep. 

Changbin lied in bed staring at the ceiling for an hour thinking of nothing but Felix. The boy’s cute laugh echoed through his mind, making his heart flutter. Changbin wanted to know all the things that made Felix laugh. He wanted to know how silky soft his fire-colored hair would feel between his fingers. He wanted to know just how pink his cheeks could turn when he blushed. He wanted to know everything that made Felix upset, so that Changbin could protect him from all of it. It sort of scared him how strong his feelings were for the younger boy already. Changbin almost felt as though he should despise himself for having these feelings, but he didn't. 

Screw this, he wasn't falling asleep tonight. Changbin reached for his phone on the nightstand next to his bed and unlocked it. He tapped on the Pinterest app, which he usually used to save health recipes and skin care tips. But tonight, when he opened the search bar, Changbin typed in the only name that was on his mind. He took a deep breath and hit enter. 

Changbin wasn't sure what he was expecting, but the thousands of pictures of Felix that showed up on his phone screen took his breath away. Candid photos of him lauging with that gorgeous smile, pictures of him at skating competitions performing the most unbelievable feats of flexibility, pictures from professional photo shoots flaunting piercing eyes and pouted lips. 

The more Changbin scrolled through the photos, the more he promised himself he was going to turn off his phone. But for the next couple of hours, Changbin once again found himself clicking on picture after picture, getting lost in Felix’s sparkling eyes. 

~ ~ ~

Changbin must have fallen asleep while on Pinterest, because his phone was laying next to him in bed instead of on the nightstand charging. It was also dead. He sighed, plugged the charger into his phone, and looked at the clock. 6:53. He had just barely gotten 4 hours of sleep. 

Knowing he probably wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now that he was awake, Changbin rolled out of bed and headed into the bathroom. Observing himself in the mirror, he knew he looked like shit. The circles under his eyes were much darker than usual and his cheeks looked a bit pale. ‘Is this what being in love is like?’

Wait, what? Changbin took a literal step back. Why did he just think that? Why would his mind supply him with those exact words? He wasn't in love. No. Shut up. He was not. 

He took a moment to thoroughly consider what had taken place the previous day. Jisung was right. What had happened to the Changbin who was always so calm and collected? He was currently more embarrassed than he had ever been in his whole life. He had completely lost his cool, and it was all because he had met a cute boy. This was not on brand for him. At all.

When Changbin finished his business in the bathroom, he noticed Jisung was still sleeping soundly. “Lucky bastard,” Changbin whispered to himself, a loving smirk on his face. His best friend looked so content all cuddled up under the blankets. He was actually quite cute. Changbin hated to have to disturb him, but he was so hungry, and he didn't want to eat breakfast in the dining room alone. 

Changbin sat down on the edge of Jisung's bed and attempted to lightly shake him awake. “Jisungie,” he gently cooed at the younger boy. “Hey, Jisungie, wake up.”

Jisung startled awake, his eyes wide and breath short. Changbin never enjoyed waking him up in the morning. Jisung always got frightened so easily, no matter how delicate Changbin tried to be. 

“Hey, it's just me. It's okay.” Changbin grabbed Jisung’s hand in an effort to calm him down. Jisung turned to look at him with his big eyes and breathed a sigh of relief. 

Changbin looked Jisung in the eye with a friendly expression. “Wash up and we’ll go get breakfast, yeah?”

~ ~ ~ 

The two boys ate mostly in silence, simply enjoying each other’s company. Changbin thought for sure Jisung was going to tease him for what had happened the day before with Felix. Instead, he stayed quiet, looking up at Changbin expectantly, like he was waiting for him to say something. Changbin wasn't sure exactly what Jisung wanted him to say, but he certainly wasn't going to initiate a conversation regarding one of the most embarrassing moments of his life. 

When they returned to their room, Changbin checked his phone, hoping it had charged enough to at least be turned back on. Thankfully, when he pressed the home button, the screen lit up. After a minute or so, the screen displayed that he had received a text message while he and Jisung were eating breakfast. Changbin didn't recognize the number, but opened the message anyway. His blood ran cold. 

[7:28am] Unknown: Hey it’s Felix! It was so great meeting you yesterday! I really hope to see you again soon :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing whipped Changbin for this chapter lol. Also his super soft side when it comes to Jisung <3 Stay tuned for some flirty Changlix texting in the next chapter!!!
> 
> Follow my tumblr!! @hyunjins-lipring


	4. Chapter Four

Felix’s heart was pounding as he hit send. Was it too soon to text Changbin? What if he thought Felix was being annoying? As he sat cross-legged on his bed, he imagined Changbin reading the message with a disgusted look on his face and groaned. Why did he have to put a smiley face at the end?

No, it was fine. It was just a friendly text saying he hoped to meet again. Felix tried to convince himself not to freak out, but he wished there was a way he could snatch the text mid-cyberspace before it reached Changbin’s phone. 

Chan came out of the bathroom with his hair still damp from the shower and noticed Felix with his face buried in his hands. “What’s wrong?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. 

Felix snapped his head up. “What? Oh, nothing. Just a little tired.”

The older boy eyed him suspiciously. Felix shrugged and attempted to look as innocent as possible. 

Chan wasn't buying it. “You don't have to keep things from me. You can tell me what's on your mind.”

Felix glanced down at his phone, which he gripped tightly. “Jisung gave me Changbin’s number, so I sent him a text,” he said casually. “It's not a big deal.”

Chan raised one eyebrow and smirked. “If you say so.” He quickly changed the subject. “Start getting your stuff together. We have to be at the airport early this afternoon.”

~ ~ ~ 

While Felix sat on the floor and folded his pants to be packed in his suitcase, he heard his phone vibrate on the desk above him. He let out a small gasp, hoping it was Changbin. He was glad Chan had his headphones on and didn't hear him. Felix reached up and grabbed his phone, holding back a smile as he opened the message. 

[8:13am] Changbin: Hey! It was great meeting you too! I was going to ask how you got my number, but it was Jisung, wasn't it?

Oh god, was Changbin mad? They had barely started their friendship and Felix had already ruined everything. He hesitantly typed out the next message. 

[8:15am] Felix: Yeah, I hope you don't mind?

[8:16am] Changbin: No, of course not :) Did you sleep well?

Felix breathed a sigh of relief and let himself smile. Changbin actually wanted to talk to him. His stomach felt all fluttery at the thought. 

[8:17am] Felix: I did! I really needed it lol. How about yourself?

[8:19am] Changbin: Not as well as I would have liked, but that's okay. I can sleep on the plane ride back home. 

Felix wondered for a moment what Changbin looked like when he slept. Probably just as cute as he does when he's awake. Maybe even cuter. 

[8:20am] Felix: Yeah that's what I usually do. 

Felix’s curiosity outweighed his shame long enough for him to type out the next text. 

[8:21am] Felix: Can I ask you something? 

[8:22am] Changbin: Yeah what's up?

[8:23am] Felix: Why were you staring at me yesterday?

[8:24am] Felix: I wasn't offended or anything. 

[8:25am] Felix: I actually kind of liked it?

[8:27am] Felix: Sorry if that sounded weird. 

[8:28am] Felix: Nevermind. You don't have to answer. 

Felix figured he should just shut up now before he made things worse. Changbin wasn't answering him for a reason. He probably regretted what had happened the day before. Felix felt like such an asshole for bringing it up. 

Just as he was about to toss his phone onto his bed and forget the whole conversation, Felix’s phone vibrated once again. He was almost afraid to read what Changbin had to say

[8:31am] Changbin: Watching you skate was the most breathtaking thing I've ever experienced. It was beautiful. You were even more beautiful up close. 

Felix’s breath caught in his throat. He certainly hadn't been expecting that. He stared at his phone in shock, unsure of how to reply. He didn't have too much time to dwell on it, however, because another text had arrived within seconds. 

[8:31am] Changbin: I really want to get to know you better, if that's okay with you. 

Felix smiled so wide it hurt, but he didnt care. He covered his face bashfully with one hand, feeling giddy. Of course it was okay with him. 

[8:32am] Felix: That's okay with me, as long as I'm able to get to know you. 

[8:33am] Changbin: Sounds fair. What do you want to know? 

Felix had to think about that for a minute. He wanted to know everything about Changbin. It was hard to narrow it down to just one thing. He figured he'd start off with something simple. 

[8:35am] Felix: Hmmm… When did you start skating?

The two of them texted back and forth for almost the entire day, discussing anything and everything. Changbin found out that Felix can beatbox and play piano, and Felix learned that Changbin really likes rap music and horror movies. The conversation seemed to flow so easily. 

[5:12pm] Changbin: What's the most beautiful city you've ever been to?

Felix thoughtfully considered his answer as he settled into his seat on the plane. 

[5:14pm] Felix: Maybe I'm biased, but I really believe Sydney is the best city in the world. No matter where I travel, every time I go back home, I'm reminded why I love it so much. 

[5:15pm] Changbin: Have you ever been to Seoul?

[5:16pm] Felix: I haven't, but I would love to go sometime. Do you like living there?

[5:18pm] Changbin: Yeah, I love it. I couldn't imagine living anywhere else. Seoul is such an exciting city with super friendly people. I think you would really love it, too. I'd love to show you around someday. 

Felix smiled fondly at the idea of exploring Seoul with Changbin, their hands linked together. He imagined Changbin grinning excitedly as he pointed out to Felix all of his favorite spots in the city. 

[5:19pm] Felix: That would be so fun! Maybe I'll come visit you ;)

[5:20pm] Changbin: Cool. It's a date ;)

Felix tried his best not to scream right there in the middle of the plane. Changbin was full-on flirting with him. 

[5:22pm] Felix: Promise?

[5:23pm] Changbin: Promise. 

Hearing the announcement from flight attendant to turn off all cell phones, Felix reluctantly sent his goodbye text to Changbin. 

[5:25pm] Felix: My plane is about to take off, so I have to go :( I think I'll try to get some extra sleep. 

[5:26pm] Changbin: Okay, sleep tight!!! 

[5:26pm] Changbin: Dream of me ;)

[5:27pm] Felix: I just might :)


	5. Chapter Five

One week later, Felix was back at the practice rink in Sydney, lacing up his skates on the bleachers. He watched as Chan continuously rehearsed his quad lutz, admiring his friend’s determination. Chan was always commended for the strength of his jumps, while Felix often chose to focus more on the artistic side of figure skating. Having good musicality and the ability to convey emotion on the ice wasn't always as impressive as landing a perfect quad lutz, but Felix found that it takes the right kind of person to appreciate his style of skating. 

Felix smiled faintly as he thought of Changbin’s comments towards his skating. The two boys had been texting each other almost non-stop all week. Felix woke up every morning to a ‘good morning’ message from his new friend, something that always filled his chest with warmth. He felt like they were truly connecting. 

He must have zoned out for a while, because Chan was suddenly standing directly in front of him, looking as though he was waiting for a reply. 

Felix looked at him with wide eyes. “Huh? Sorry, what did you say?”

“I asked if you could help me with some of the transitions in my choreography.” Chan knitted his eyebrows together in worry. “Are you alright?”

Felix felt like he was caught in the act. He was definitely just daydreaming about Changbin, and there was no way he could hide it from Chan. 

“I was just… thinking about… things,” he said, avoiding eye contact with the older boy.

Chan sat down on the bench next to Felix, who was now looking in the opposite direction in an attempt to hide his smile. Chan playfully poked his cheek. . 

“Yeah? What kind of ‘things’?”

Felix wanted so badly to tell Chan all about his exciting new friendship, but he was slightly hesitant to do so. Chan by nature was so caring and protective, and Felix knew he would be reluctant to accept Changbin. 

Chan sighed and took the younger boy's hand in his. “Felix, how many times do I have to tell you that you can always be honest with me? I'm not going to judge you.”

“Okay, well.” Felix took a deep breath. “I've been texting Changbin a lot. Like pretty much all the time. He’s a really great guy and the conversation between us just… flows. So easily. And he actually cares about what I have to say.” He smiled warmly, feeling excited to finally be able to talk about Changbin out loud. “Chan, he's so sweet. He texts me every morning just to make sure I slept well. I don't know, I just feel like we really click, you know?”

Chan stared at Felix with a lighthearted smirk. “Seems like you really like this kid,” he pointed out. 

Felix felt his cheeks heat up a bit. “Yeah. I guess I do.”

Chan chuckled at how adorably shy the younger boy was. “Do I detect a possible crush?”

Felix bit his bottom lip, a nervous habit of his. He didn't want to give Chan any reason to worry about him. But if he couldn't confide in his best friend, then who else?

“Possibly,” Felix said, his voice quiet. “Are you mad at me?”

Chan blinked at Felix, looking genuinely confused. “Felix, why would I be mad at you?”

Felix tried to quickly think of how to explain himself. “I just -- I mean -- I know you feel like you need to protect me and all that, but… this is different. Changbin’s different. I'm not sure what exactly is happening between me and him, but I really feel like we have something good. Really good.”

Chan was watching Felix with a huge grin on his face. He squeezed the boy’s hand a bit tighter. “Honestly, Felix, I'm happy if you're happy. I want things to work out between you and Changbin.” He stopped to mindfully consider his next words. “But please be careful. I just don't want you to get your heart broken.”

“Changbin would never do that,” Felix claimed, his heart filled with hope. 

~ ~ ~ 

“Received any fun texts recently?”

Changbin choked on the water he was sipping, almost spitting it out onto the ice. Jisung casually leaned against the siding of the skating rink with his arms crossed. He snorted and raised an eyebrow at Changbin, waiting for a response. 

Glaring at Jisung, Changbin wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his sweatshirt. “I don't know what you're talking about,” he said in a low voice. 

“Well, I gave Felix your number over a week ago and I was kind of looking forward to hearing some interesting stories about you two,” Jisung announced, a sly grin spreading across his face. 

Changbin sighed audibly. Why did this boy always have to talk so loudly? Changbin was sure all their other training mates could definitely hear him. 

“It really isn't any of your business,” he snapped. He was hoping Jisung wouldn't bring this up. He just felt really awkward talking about this kind of stuff out loud. 

“Come on, Bin. I'm your best friend. I see you smiling at your phone all the time. Just tell me what's been going on,” Jisung pleaded. 

“Hyung,” Changbin corrected him. The younger boy would often drop the honorifics, and it sometimes rubbed Changbin the wrong way. 

“That's cute, but you don't have to call me ‘hyung,’” Jisung stated, humor in his voice. 

Changbin rolled his eyes as he tried not to smile. Jisung was so annoyingly adorable, sometimes Changbin couldn't handle it. He looked at his friend fondly and shook his head. “You're obnoxious.”

Jisung shrugged. “It's part of the reason why you love me. Now spill,” he said, lightly hitting Changbin's shoulder. 

Changbin thought hard about what to say. Where was he to begin? Felix was the most adorable boy he ever knew. Changbin loved how flirty he was. Felix just made him feel so good, he couldn't even think of the words to describe it. 

Jisung cleared his throat. “You know you're blushing, right?”

Changbin brought his hand up to feel his cheek, which was undeniably warm. “Shit,” he whispered, looking away from Jisung. 

“Do you like him?” Jisung questioned. 

Changbin looked back at Jisung with a panicked expression. “Yeah. I think so.” 

Just then, Changbin felt his phone vibrate in his sweatshirt pocket. He reached in and took out his phone immediately, wanting it to be a text from Felix. 

“Oooh who is it?” Jisung sang teasingly, moving closer to read the text over Changbin's shoulder. 

[1:12pm] Felix: Hey Binnie :) Guess what? We're both competing at the NHK Trophy in Osaka this weekend! Which means we'll get to meet up again!! Yay!! Can't wait to see your cute face ;) 

“How come you don't make him call you ‘hyung?’” Jisung pouted. 

Changbin ignored Jisung’s comment. How did he not see this coming? He and Felix were both in the same division, odds are that they were going to compete against each other at some point. Which means Changbin had to skate in front of Felix. Why did that scare him so much? 

He quickly texted Felix back, not wanting to make the boy wait. 

[1:13pm] Changbin: That's awesome! I'll be counting down the days :) 

Changbin left the ice, feeling like he was going to throw up. He heard Jisung call after him, but he didn't look back. Abruptly pulling off his skates and slipping on his warm-up boots, he headed for the door to the outside. He needed to get some fresh air, right now. As soon as the cool Autumn air hit his skin, Changbin felt a small rush of relief. He hadn't even realized how much he'd been sweating. 

What was wrong with him? He wanted to see Felix, he really did, but Changbin couldn't stop the anxiety from rising through his body. If this was happening now, days before they even left for the competition, how on earth was he supposed handle actually being there?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love writing Jisung teasing Changbin lmao. Next chapter is the NHK Trophy, which means Felix and Changbin will finally see each other again!! Look forward to it :)
> 
> Follow my tumblr! @hyunjins-lipring


	6. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, the three squiggles (~ ~ ~) indicates a shift in POV between Changbin and Felix.

The day of the NHK Trophy had finally arrived in Osaka, Japan. In the back practice room of the arena, Changbin was warming up with the other skaters, stretching on the floor. He continuously glanced towards the door, waiting for Felix to arrive. His hands were shaking slightly as he was nervous to see the boy. Changbin hoped he wouldn't get all flustered again and embarrass himself like last time. Breathing deeply, he attempted to calm his nerves by focusing on loosening his thigh muscles. 

Changbin pushed his stretch a little further, and he suddenly caught a glimpse of orange out of the corner of his eye. He looked up immediately, watching Felix stroll across the room to drop his bag down in the corner. The younger boy bent over to look for something in his bag, and Changbin couldn't look away. He appreciated the way the white, nylon jogger pants hugged Felix’s legs in all the right places, and how his bright blue warm-up jacket emphasized his small waist. Changbin felt a little sloppy in comparison, in his dark gray sweatpants and oversized black sweatshirt, the hood pulled over his head. 

Felix turned around holding a cotton headband and stretched it around his head, pushing it up underneath his hair. Changbin smirked, thinking Felix looked adorable in a headband. 

Just then, Felix’s eyes caught Changbin staring. The younger boy grinned and waved excitedly. Changbin's insides felt all jittery as Felix began to walk towards him. 

He looked down at Changbin, his eyes sparkling. “Hey.”

Changbin licked his lips nervously, making eye contact with the boy. “Hey.”

Felix sat down next to him. “Mind if I warm up with you?”

“Yeah -- uh, I mean, no. No, I don't mind,” the older boy stammered. 

‘Smooth Changbin. Real smooth.’

Chuckling lightly, Felix opened his legs into a straddle and leaned his torso down to the floor. Changbin’s brain short circuited, caught off guard by Felix’s flexibility. The boy tilted his head to look up at Changbin, smiling at him brightly, and Changbin couldn't help but smile back.

~ ~ ~

“It's really good to see you again,” Changbin said, a sincere smile on his face. 

Felix sighed happily, feeling delighted to be in Changbin’s presence. “Yeah, it’s good to see you, too.” 

‘He looks so cute in that hoodie,’ Felix thought to himself. The hood over Changbin’s head made him look so adorable and cuddly, Felix wanted to reach out and pinch his cheeks. If he did, the older boy would most definitely blush even more than he already was. 

“Did you sleep well?” Changbin asked, pulling his legs into a butterfly stretch. 

Hearing that question in person instead of through text made Felix’s heart melt. “Honestly, not really. I, um… I was too excited to see you.”

Changbin laughed low, the sound sending shivers down Felix's spine. He glanced at the younger boy affectionately. “Me, too,” he whispered. 

Felix giggled bashfully as he sat up to stretch his shoulders. He took notice of how strong Changbin's thighs looked, noticeable even through his baggy pants. “I'm really looking forward to seeing your program.”

~ ~ ~ 

Swallowing hard, Changbin struggled to hold onto his ‘cool guy’ persona. “I'm looking forward to showing you,” he stated, winking at Felix. 

‘Liar,’ his subconscious spoke up. ‘You've been scared shitless all week.’

Glancing down at the floor, Changbin cleared his throat in an attempt to quiet his racing thoughts. He prayed that Felix wouldn't notice how anxious he was. But the shining smile on the younger skater's face didn't falter, and Changbin felt simultaneously comforted and panicked. 

When the next group of skaters were announced to take the ice, the two boys parted ways, wishing each other good luck. Changbin would be last to skate, with Felix right before him. After the first handful of skaters completed their short programs without a hitch, it was finally Felix’s turn

Changbin watched his friend skate from the side of the rink. The younger boy landed all of his jumps with precise accuracy, and his artistry was extraordinary. He evoked such strong emotion, which perfectly matched the song, “River” by Leon Bridges. Changbin thought Felix looked so pretty in the blue and green ombré shirt he wore, and performed even more exquisitely than the first time he saw him. 

When Felix finished the last spin combination and hit his ending pose, the eruption of applause throughout the arena was deafening. Flowers and small stuffed animals were tossed onto the ice as Felix bowed and blew a kiss to the audience. He skated to the edge of the rink and stepped off the ice, making brief eye contact with Changbin. The older boy gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up and Felix smiled, looking absolutely radiant. 

To no one's surprise, Felix sailed into first place, scoring a season’s best. Changbin was beyond proud of him, but it didn't last long, as his anxiety quickly overcame him. His heart thudded in his chest as he tightened the laces on his skates before entering the rink. 

~ ~ ~ 

Still feeling the rush of adrenaline from receiving such a high score, Felix turned his attention to Changbin, who had just begun his short program. He wore a fitted black top with lace detailing, and the music -- “Arsonist’s Lullaby” by Hozier -- suited him impeccably. Felix chuckled fondly, remembering how Changbin had said he enjoyed skating to dark concepts. His movements were powerful and dramatic, and he skated even more beautifully than Felix had ever imagined. 

Changbin prepared for his opening triple axel, and Felix held his breath. Pushing off the ice with great force, the older boy flew into the air, gaining an impressive amount of height. Felix bit his lip worriedly, as he was able to tell that Changbin might not land this jump. 

Felix had never hated being right more than he did at that moment. Changbin had under rotated the jump, causing him to come out of it too early and land hard on his left hip. The younger boy winced, imagining the amount of pain his friend must have been in. Changbin stood up immediately to continue his program as best as he could, but Felix saw the look on his face, which portrayed the opposite of confidence. 

The rest of the skate was deeply affected by the mistake. The footwork was unsteady, his spins were wobbly, and to top it all off, he fell again on the last jump. Afterwards, Changbin left the ice looking embarrassed and irritated. His low score landed him in last place, a non-precedent for Changbin. Felix longed to go comfort him, but figured it was probably best to give him space for a few minutes and went back to the practice room. 

~ ~ ~ 

Changbin sat and stared at his score on the screen that hung above the arena, fighting the urge to scream out in frustration. He tried so hard to keep a neutral expression as the television cameras rolled. Changbin was known for always being so relaxed at competitions, and he didn't want to destroy that reputation. 

On the inside, however, Changbin was livid. The way he had performed his program was definitely not how he had practiced it. He was so mad at himself, because he knew he had the capacity to do better, but he had screwed up. 

When the cameras turned away from him, Changbin stood up from the bench and headed towards the single-person bathroom next to the practice room. As soon as he shut the door, he leaned his forehead against the wall and banged the side of his fist against it. He knew he was overreacting a bit, but he couldn't seem to control his emotions. Why did this have to happen to him? Especially right in front of Felix?

‘Felix.’

Changbin had been so concerned about skating in front of the boy, his focus wasn't where it should have been. His mind had been preoccupied wondering whether or not Felix would think he was good. Changbin felt overcome with anger at how easily he had been distracted. 

~ ~ ~

Alone in the practice room, Felix began to pack up his things to head back to the hotel. All the other skaters had already left, wanting to get plenty of rest before the free skate the next day. But Felix was still concerned about Changbin, so he sat against the wall and waited a few extra minutes for the older boy to come back. 

After about ten minutes, Changbin stormed into the room, and Felix stood up to run over to him. 

“Binnie, it's okay. Everyone has bad days.” He put his hand on Changbin's shoulder, only to have the older boy immediately push it away. 

“I can't talk to you anymore,” Changbin whispered, unable to look at Felix. 

“What?” the younger boy asked, hoping he had heard incorrectly. 

When Changbin finally looked him in the eye, Felix felt his heart drop. The older skater looked furious, and Felix had to admit, he was a bit scared. 

“I said I can't talk to you anymore!” Changbin yelled, causing Felix to take a step back. “I screwed up today, and it's all because of your stupid flirting! Do you have any idea how distracting that is? I couldn't focus on my skating and it's all your fault!”

~ ~ ~

Looking away from Felix again, Changbin immediately regretted the words that had just come out of his mouth. He was angry at himself, not at Felix. He knew he shouldn't be blaming the boy, but he couldn't stop the rage from coursing through his veins. Changbin had never skated this terribly before, and he didn't know how to handle it. 

After a long and uncomfortably quiet moment, Changbin glanced back at Felix, who looked completely terrified. Changbin felt ashamed of himself for making Felix feel like that, but he thought the younger boy looked so cute with his slightly parted lips and wide, glistening eyes. 

Changbin desperately wanted to kiss him. 

He needed to leave right now before he did something even more stupid than he's already done. 

~ ~ ~ 

Tears rolling down his cheeks, Felix could only stand there and watch as Changbin walked out of his life just as quickly as he had entered it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had been looking forward to writing this chapter since I started this fic. While it was very difficult, I enjoyed the challenge. I hope you guys like it!!
> 
> Unfortunately, I'm not 100% sure the next chapter will be ready by next week. It most likely will be, but if not, I will post it as soon as it's ready! I just wanted to give y'all a heads up :)


	7. Chapter Seven

To put it lightly, Changbin was acting miserable. Jisung figured something must have happened with Felix at the competition in Japan, because the older boy had done nothing but mope around since he arrived back in Seoul. Changbin and Jisung would always hang out together at their shared apartment, playing video games and watching movies. But recently, Changbin had been quiet and withdrawn. At practice, he always had a dismal expression behind his eyes. 

When Jisung had first asked him what was wrong, Changbin had brushed him off, claiming he just felt tired. Jisung knew his best friend wasn't the most open person when it came to talking about his emotions, but he could tell there was something up with Changbin. Something deeper than he was letting on. 

After almost a week of Changbin ignoring him, Jisung had had enough. While Changbin was in the shower one night, Jisung stole his phone. Not to snoop, but to hold it hostage. 

Changbin emerged from the bathroom and walked over to his dresser, immediately noticing his phone wasn't where he had left it. “Have you seen my phone?” he asked, kneeling on the floor to check under his bed. 

Jisung didn't look away from the video game he was playing. “Yeah. I hid it,” he said matter-of-factly. 

Changbin stood up, looking confusedly at the boy sitting on the other bed. “Um, can I ask why?”

Pausing the game, Jisung shifted his whole body to face Changbin. “I need you to tell me why you've been so miserable lately. Did something happen at the competition?”

Changbin let out a frustrated sigh. “No. Now can I have my phone back?”

“Please don't lie to me, Bin. Tell me the truth,” Jisung pressed. “I know it's not just because of your low score.”

“Fine,” Changbin groaned, running a hand through his wet hair. “I'll tell you, but you have to promise you won't make fun of me.”

Jisung felt a bit guilty for the fact that his best friend had to explicitly request that. He supposed he had probably been teasing Changbin about his relationship with Felix a little too much. 

“I promise I won't.”

Changbin sat down next to Jisung, looking defeated. It took him a few moments to begin to speak. “I yelled at Felix.”

Jisung’s eyes widened in surprise, but he tried his best not to judge Changbin without knowing the whole story. “What happened?”

The older boy looked down at he floor. “I lost control. I skated so horribly and I blamed him for it. I told him he was a distraction and that I couldn't talk to him anymore.” Changbin seemed as though he was trying not to cry. “I know it's not his fault, and I didn't mean a word of what I said, but I was just so angry at myself and embarrassed for being so nervous around him.”

“And what did he say?” Jisung questioned. 

Changbin sniffled. “Nothing,” he answered. “He just stood there. And he looked terrified. I left the room as fast as I could. We haven't spoken since.” 

Jisung noticed that Changbin's eyelashes were slightly damp. “And I miss him.”

Changbin rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands as Jisung put his arm around him. “God, I'm such an ass,” the older boy whispered. 

“No, you're not,” Jisung assured him. He thought for a moment. “Well, maybe you were at the time. But I'm sure if you apologized, Felix would forgive you.”

Changbin glanced at Jisung hopelessly. “I doubt it.” 

He cleared his throat and wiped his tears with his sleeve, trying to pull himself together. “Can I have my phone back now?” he asked with a pout. 

Jisung laughed and ruffled his hair, causing Changbin to flinch away. “Yeah. It's in the fridge.”

Changbin looked at his friend with a deadpan expression. “You put my phone in the fridge?”

~ ~ ~

When Felix had returned to Sydney after the competition, Chan could tell something was off. The younger boy’s mood lacked the cheerfulness it often possessed. In an attempt to get Felix to open up to him, Chan arranged for the two of them to spend some special bonding time together. 

About a week after Felix got back, the two of them found some free time to head down to a coffee shop that was only half a mile from their condo. The walk there was completely silent, which didn't bother Chan on most days. They were comfortable enough with each other that they could spend time together in silence without it being awkward. But on this day, he missed Felix’s usual bubbly personality. 

When they arrived at the coffee shop, Felix ordered a caramel latte, while Chan got a peppermint hot chocolate. Chan insisted on paying for both of them, and they sat down at a small table in the corner. 

Chan studied Felix as the boy woefully stared into his drink, stirring it slowly. Before Chan could even ask what was bothering him, Felix spoke up. 

“I don't think Changbin and I are friends anymore,” he mumbled, not looking up from his latte. 

Taking a sip from his hot chocolate, Chan waited for Felix to continue. When he didn't, Chan inquired further. “Why do you say that?”

When Felix finally looked up, Chan was caught off guard by his expression. The usual bright light behind the boy's eyes was severely dimmed, the corners of his mouth turned downwards into a small frown. Chan’s heart ached for his friend. 

Felix breathed deep through his nose before speaking again. “Because he told me he didn't want to talk to me anymore. He said that I was too much of a distraction for him and that his low score was my fault.” His bottom lip began to tremble. “Chan, he was so mad. I keep hearing his voice in the back of my head yelling at me.”

Anger began to rise in Chan’s chest. “Changbin yelled at you?”

“I thought he and I had something special,” Felix continued. “I thought -- I don't know, I thought maybe he even… liked me. As more than a friend.”

This was exactly what Chan was afraid of. Felix was the sweetest, funniest, smartest person he's ever known, and he didn't deserve to be treated this way. “Felix, I'm so sorry that happened. It wasn't your fault. You know that, right?”

“I know. But I --” Felix's eyes became wet as he spoke. “Every morning I wake up and check my phone for a message from him. But then I remember he doesn't want anything to do with me.” A single tear rolled down his cheek. “I just really miss him. I miss talking to him and joking around with him. I miss the way he made me feel.”

Chan hated seeing his best friend so upset, and he silently promised to do whatever it took to make him feel better. “Did he make you happy?” he asked. 

A sad, reminiscent smile appeared on Felix’s lips. “Yeah. Really happy. I know he didn't mean what he said, and if he apologized, I would forgive him in a heartbeat.”

Chan felt such disdain towards Changbin for what he did. But if he was the only one who could make Felix truly happy again, perhaps Chan should give him a chance to apologize. He knew what he had to do, but it wasn't going to be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAAHHHH THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR 100 KUDOS !!!


	8. Chapter Eight

To say Changbin was terrified would have been an understatement. He had really messed things up, and now he had to face the consequences. 

He should have known Chan would contact him. The fact that they were both competing at the Internationaux de France this weekend meant that they were both in Paris at the same time, and Changbin was sure the other boy had plenty to say to him. When Chan had texted him asking to meet up, Changbin had considered just ignoring the message and pretending he didn't see it. But this would be his only opportunity to indirectly apologize to Felix, even if the younger boy never wanted to see him again. 

As he approached the cafe where Chan was waiting for him, Changbin's heart was in his throat. When he opened the door, he immediately noticed Chan sitting at a table tucked away in the corner. The older boy's arms were crossed and he had a serious expression on his face. Steadying himself, Changbin walked over to the table. 

“Um, hi,” he said, his voice cracking. “Should I sit?”

Chan glanced up at him and nodded. Changbin pulled out a chair, which made a terrible screeching noise as it slid against the floor. The two of them just sat there, not saying anything, for a full 60 seconds -- Changbin counted. He realized that the cafe was empty aside from the two of them, and the employee behind the counter couldn't see them from this angle. ‘Great. No witnesses,’ Changbin thought sarcastically. 

“Thanks for coming,” Chan finally said. His eyes were shooting daggers at the younger boy. 

Changbin gulped. “Yeah. No problem.”

Chan leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “I want to talk about Felix.”

“How is he?” Changbin blurted out. 

“Do you really think you have the right to ask that?” Chan questioned. His voice was calm, but Changbin could tell he was angry. “Do you have any idea what you did to him? He thought you were his friend. He trusted you.”

Changbin looked down at his lap in shame. ‘I deserve this,’ he said to himself. He had completely destroyed his relationship with Felix, someone he truly cared for. Changbin stayed silent as Chan continued. 

“You broke his heart, Changbin,” Chan said in a low voice. “Do you even care?”

Changbin quickly glanced back up at the older boy. How heartless did Chan think he was? “Of course I care. He meant so much to me. He still does.” He let out a shaky breath. “I feel awful for what I did. I can't even make an excuse for it, and I don't blame Felix for never wanting to talk to me again.”

“Well, that's the thing.” Chan sighed sadly. “He says he really misses you.”

A small burst of hope exploded in a Changbin's chest. “I miss him, too,” he murmured. 

Chan stared at Changbin with a blank expression. “All he wants is for you to apologize.”

His eyes widening, Changbin stopped breathing for a moment. He would do anything for a chance to apologize to Felix in person. “When can I see him?” he asked desperately. 

Chan's eyes softened a bit. “He's going to the Grand Prix Final in Seoul next month.”

Felix was going to be in Seoul? Changbin thanked his lucky stars. “I promise I'll make things better with him.”

Chan smirked, and Changbin felt a little more at ease. “You better.”

~ ~ ~ 

The next morning, Changbin arrived at the skating rink early to review his program. He had a lot of points to make up for after the disaster at the last competition. While he was practicing his triple axel, he heard someone in the stands call out his name. 

When he looked over, Chan was waving at him. Changbin smiled and waved back, skating over to him. 

“You're triple axel looks really strong,” Chan commented. 

“Oh, wow, thanks,” Changbin said, taken aback by the older boy's compliment. “That means a lot coming from you.”

Chan smiled at him sincerely. “You're welcome.”

Suddenly, a tall boy with dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes showed up at Chan’s side, putting his arm around him. Chan’s expression immediately turned sour, and Changbin saw him roll his eyes. 

“Hey, Channie!” the blue-eyed boy exclaimed. “Good to see you here.”

“Don't call me Channie,” Chan said through gritted teeth. “What do you want, Darren?”

Changbin suddenly recognized this boy as 20-year-old Darren Emerson, an amazing skater from the United States. He often earned top scores at competitions and had plenty of fans from all around the world. Why did Chan dislike him so much?

“How’s my little Felix doing?” Darren asked in a flirty tone. 

Hold on. His Felix? Who did this guy think he was? 

Chan turned to look Darren straight in the eye. “Go to hell.”

Darren chuckled. “I heard he's going to be at the Grand Prix Final. I hope to see him there.” He winked at Chan before sauntering away with a smug smile. 

Changbin watched him leave with a disgusted look on his face. “What's his deal?”

“He has some sort of… thing… for Felix,” Chan said, shaking his head disapprovingly. “He's been harassing the poor kid for years. Felix has made it pretty clear how he feels, but Darren can't seem to take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Changbin’s blood began to boil, and he decided that he hated Darren. A feeling deep inside of him told him that he had protect Felix at all costs. 

~ ~ ~ 

When the competition was over, Darren had taken first place, with Changbin close behind him in second, and Chan in third. Which meant that Darren qualified for the Gran Prix Final. Which meant he would most likely see Felix. If Darren said anything crude to Felix or -- God forbid -- touched Felix, Changbin would probably kick his ass.


	9. Chapter Nine

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a warning that this chapter includes non-consensual touching.

As he sat in the backseat of the car on the way to the Grand Prix Final, Felix took in the beauty of Seoul through the window. His heart felt heavy as he thought of Changbin and how much he had praised the city. In fact, he hadn't stopped thinking about Changbin since the competition in Japan four weeks ago. And now that Felix was in the older boy's hometown, it only made his sorrow worse. Changbin hadn't contacted him at all, and Felix was starting to lose hope that they would ever see each other again. 

When Chan had returned from the Internationaux de France two weeks prior, Felix had cautiously asked him about Changbin. Chan had said that they didn't talk to each other, but Felix sensed that he wasn't telling the truth. Knowing Chan and his protective disposition, there was no way he didn't say something to Changbin. 

Felix arrived at the practice room of the arena before anyone else. Taking a seat on the wooden bench against the wall, he pulled his phone out of his bag to check for messages. Other than the usual ‘good luck’ text from Chan, there was nothing. Felix scolded himself for believing for even a second that Changbin would message him. This was a daily occurrence. Felix would check his phone, be disappointed that Changbin didn't text him, and then be even more disappointed in himself for thinking he would. 

While Felix stared at his phone in woe, someone else entered the room. Glancing up, he made eye contact with the other person. His stomach turned as Darren Emerson smiled at him with that self-satisfying expression he always wore. 

“Hey, Felix,” Darren greeted, walking over to where the younger boy was sitting. He sat down a little too close to Felix, who attempted to scoot away. But before he could, Darren put his arm around his shoulders. “You’re looking good today,” he whispered into Felix’s ear. 

Keeping his gaze fixed on the floor, Felix said nothing in return. He frowned at the feeling of Darren’s hot breath against his ear. 

Suddenly, Darren grabbed Felix’s thigh, causing the younger boy to gasp. “I love the way you look in these pants.” Felix heard him lick his lips. “But I bet you’d look even better without them,” he commented, moving his hand farther up Felix’s leg. 

Felix almost wanted to cry. Darren had said plenty of vulgar things to him in the past, but he had never touched him like this before. Felix felt helpless as the older boy grabbed the side of his face and forced him to look in his direction. 

“Don't ignore me, baby,” Darren growled. 

“I'm not your baby. Leave me alone.” Felix tried to steady his voice so Darren would know he was serious. Instead, the words came out shaky and high-pitched. 

Darren squeezed Felix’s thigh hard enough to leave a bruise. “You keep pushing me away, but I know you want this,” he said in a low voice. 

Just as Felix thought Darren was about to lean in and kiss him, the door on the opposite side of the room swung open, hitting the wall loudly. 

Felix whipped his head around to see Changbin storming across the room towards them, his jaw tight and his eyes narrowed. He looked as though steam might come out of his ears. Felix momentarily stopped breathing, as he was both pleasantly surprised and horribly frightened to see Changbin in that moment. 

When he got close enough, Changbin grabbed the collar of Darren's shirt and yanked him back. Darren fell to he floor, looking up at Changbin in shock. 

Changbin hovered over the blonde boy. “Don’t fucking touch him,” he spat out. 

“Or what?” Darren bit back. 

Changbin clenched his fists, and Felix thought he was going to punch Darren. He reached his hand out and grabbed Changbin's wrist.

“Binnie, don't,” Felix said firmly. He felt some of the tension in Changbin’s hand muscles release. 

“Why not?” Changbin said coarsely without looking away from Darren. “I heard everything he said from the hallway. He deserves it.”

Felix agreed with him wholeheartedly, but he couldn't allow Changbin to go through with this. “I know he does. But if you intentionally hurt another skater, you'll be banned from all future competitions. I can't let that happen to you.”

Changbin finally looked over at Felix, his expression softening. They watched each other for a long moment as Felix silently begged him not to do this. Changbin turned his attention back to the boy on the floor. 

“Don't ever bother him again,” he threatened. “Or else you're going to have to deal with me.”

Darren scoffed. “And who the hell are you?”

“Someone who actually cares about him. A lot.” Changbin breathed deeply. “Now get out.”

As Darren stood up and left the room in a huff, Felix kept his gaze fixed on Changbin. He realized he was still holding onto the older boy's wrist, but he didn't want to let go. Changbin moved to sit next to him on the bench, shifting his hand to hold onto Felix's. 

After a minute or so, Changbin broke the silence. “Felix… ,” he murmured, cutting himself off. 

Noticing how anxious Changbin was, Felix squeezed his hand in an effort to comfort him. The older boy turned to look at Felix with remorseful eyes. 

“I'm so sorry,” Changbin began. “I was such a jerk. I got caught up in my nerves and lost control. And I blamed you. The most amazing person I've ever known. But none of it was your fault.” He started stroking his thumb over Felix's knuckles. “I love being around you. I love talking with you. God, I like you so much and it scares the hell out of me. But it's worth it. If you can forgive me, I promise to spend however long it takes making it up to you.”

Felix briefly glanced down at their clasped hands. He smiled as he was reminded of the first time they met, when Changbin shook his hand and held on for a bit too long. When he looked back into Changbin’s eyes, Felix knew his words were genuine. “Thank you for apologizing,” he said sincerely. “It really means a lot to me. And I do forgive you.”

Changbin chuckled in relief as he slowly brought his other hand up to brush a stray lock of hair out of the younger boy's eyes. His expression suddenly became concerned. “Are you alright?” he asked. 

“Yeah, I'm okay.” Felix scooted in towards Changbin, wanting to be closer to him. “Now that my knight in shining armor is here,” he teased. 

Changbin smirked bashfully, his ears turning red. Felix thought it was the cutest thing he had ever seen. They both leaned in even closer to each other, their faces now only inches apart. 

“I should probably start warming up,” Felix whispered. 

Glancing down at Felix's lips, Changbin swallowed nervously. “Yeah. Someone could walk in at any second.”

In a quick moment of bravery, Felix closed the distance between them. He placed a light kiss onto Changbin's soft cheek, causing the older boy’s breath to hitch. 

The two boys stared into each other's eyes for what felt like an hour, but was probably only less than ten seconds. “I'm going to start getting ready,” Felix announced. “Are you going to watch the competition?”

“Of course I am,” Changbin replied with a smile. “I'm going to go get a good seat. Good luck.”

Felix nodded his thanks, and Changbin stood up to walk towards the door, not letting go of Felix’s hand until the last second. Right before crossing through the threshold, he turned and winked at Felix, leaving the boy a smiling, blushing mess.


	10. Chapter Ten

[10:17am] Changbin: Hey are you awake?

[10:20am] Changbin: I have plans for us.

[10:21am] Changbin: To celebrate.

Changbin sat in the lobby of the hotel, waiting for Felix to reply to his messages. He had planned a whole day to give Felix a tour of Seoul to commemorate the boy's first place win at the Grand Prix Final the day before. Unfortunately, they didn't get a chance to see each other directly afterwards, as Felix was busy talking with a bunch of reporters. Changbin was so proud of him, and he couldn't wait for them to spend the day together. 

[10:23am] Felix: Ooo what kind of plans?

[10:24am] Changbin: It’s a surprise ;) Get ready and come down to the lobby. 

As he patiently waited for the younger boy, Changbin adjusted his hair in the front-facing camera on his phone. He really wanted to look his best today, and he had put a lot of effort into his outfit this morning. He had chosen a crisp, white button-up shirt tucked into charcoal gray skinny jeans with a black leather jacket. Finishing it off with a short, silver chain necklace and black dress shoes, Changbin had to admit he felt cool and chic in the ensemble. 

When he saw Felix come out of the elevator only twenty minutes later, Changbin’s jaw almost hit the floor. The boy looked absolutely beautiful in his bubblegum pink turtleneck sweater, light-washed skinny jeans, and white low-top converse. His hair was fluffed and styled perfectly. Changbin wondered how he managed to look so good in such a short period of time. 

Felix spotted Changbin and began to walk towards him, a huge smile plastered on his face. Changbin quickly stood up from the gray suede chair he was sitting in and smoothed the wrinkles out of his shirt, feeling his heart pumping aggressively in his chest. He just wanted this day to be perfect for Felix. 

Changbin mirrored Felix's smile as the boy approached him. “You look really nice,” he said bashfully. 

“Thanks. You do, too,” Felix replied, his cheeks turning the same shade of pink as his sweater. “So, what's the plan?”

“I was hoping I could show you around the city,” Changbin stated. “Give you the grand tour.”

“Binnie,” Felix cooed, his bright grin not fading. “I would love that.” 

Changbin shrugged nonchalantly. “I promised, didn't I?”

Felix gazed at him in awe. “You certainly did.”

“Can I buy you a coffee first?” Changbin asked. “There's a really nice place down the street with great lattes.”

Felix nodded excitedly and Changbin held out his hand. The younger boy accepted it, interlocking their fingers. Changbin felt Felix’s pulse pumping just as fast as his own. Their palms pressed together, and the contact comforted Changbin as all the nerves left his body. 

~ ~ ~ 

Now fully caffeinated, the two boys left the coffee shop, heading towards the Myeongdong shopping district. Felix admired the charming combination of traditional and contemporary vibes of the city. Seoul was quickly becoming one of his favorite places. Perhaps some of it had to do with the charming boy walking next to him, who was still holding tightly onto his hand. 

It was only a fifteen minute walk to the main shopping street. When they arrived, Felix stared wide-eyed at the sky-high buildings and bold, colorful signs. He could feel Changbin's eyes on him, and he turned to look at the older boy. 

“What?” Felix asked innocently. 

“Nothing. You're just really cute,” Changbin answered, smirking. He walked ahead and pulled Felix along by the hand. “Come on.”

Felix willingly followed him into one store after another, his favorites being the beauty shops, where Felix couldn't help himself from buying at least 10 face masks and a fancy new moisturizer. Changbin told him that he didn't need all those beauty products, because Felix was beautiful enough already. The younger boy giggled at that, appreciating how sweet Changbin could be sometimes. 

After exploring countless shops and eating delicious street food -- Changbin insisted that Felix try tteokbokki with melted cheese -- their last stop was a jewelry store. Felix marveled at the gleaming silver and gold on display. Leaning over one of the glass counters, he stared in amazement at a certain glistening white gold earring. The small hoop had a thin chain dangling from it, with a arrowhead decoration attached to the end. 

Changbin wrapped his arm around Felix's shoulders as he glanced back and forth between the boy and the earring. “See anything you like?” he prompted. 

“Yeah, that earring there is really nice,” Felix responded, pressing his finger against the glass to point to the piece of jewelry. “It's probably crazy expensive, though.”

Politely calling over one of the store associates, Changbin asked her about the price of the earring. Felix's eyes almost bulged out of his head when she told them. He wasn't sure why Changbin even bothered asking, because there was no way Felix was able to spend that amount of money. 

Changbin looked at Felix with a thoughtful expression. “We’ll take two, please” he announced, turning his attention back to the associate, who nodded and pulled out two small, velvet boxes from underneath the counter. 

“Two?” Felix asked, eyeing Changbin skeptically. 

“Yeah,” Changbin said casually. “One for each of us.”

Felix blinked at him in disbelief. “Wait -- are you buying us matching earrings? Can you afford that?”

“I mean, I probably won't be able to spend any more money for another month,” Changbin admitted with a small chuckle. “But I think this would look nice on you.”

“Binnie, you don't have to spend your money on me.” Felix just didn't want to take advantage of Changbin's generosity. 

Changbin turned to look at him with warm eyes. “Lix, I want to. Please let me do this for you.”

The tone with which Changbin spoke was something Felix couldn't say no to. He watched with a small, adoring smile as Changbin took out his wallet and swiped his credit card. The associate handed him the purchase in a small paper bag and the two boys left the store hand in hand. 

As they both sat on a bench across from the store, Changbin took the two boxes out of the bag and opened them up. “Come here,” he said, sliding close to Felix. “Let me put this on you.”

Felix tilted his head so Changbin could easily slide the earring into his ear. He felt goosebumps all over his body as Changbin's slightly cold fingers brushed against the smooth skin there. Changbin rested his hand on the back of Felix’s neck, caressing his sleek, orange hair. 

“It looks really pretty,” Changbin stated, gazing affectionately into the younger boy's eyes. Felix could only stare back with the same expression, admiring the boy's dark, dreamy eyes and strong cheekbones. He loved how the older boy looked so manly and adorable at the same time. He yearned for Changbin to kiss him with those full, pouty lips. 

“Thank you,” Felix whispered, feeling as though he could easily fall in love with this boy at any second. 

~ ~ ~ 

As they sat close, Changbin allowed his eyes to roam across Felix’s delicate facial features. His petite, button nose. His perfectly pink, Cupid's bow lips. The jewelry in the boy's ear sparkled almost as much as his wide, gorgeous eyes. Changbin noticed for the first time that Felix had a light dusting of freckles across his nose and cheeks. He wanted to kiss every single one of those freckles. 

But they were in public right now, and people were beginning to stare. Changbin reluctantly removed his hand from Felix’s neck and put on his own earring. 

“How do I look?” Changbin asked jokingly, framing the bottom of his face with his forefinger and thumb. His ears were blessed with a cheerful giggle from the boy next to him. 

“So handsome,” Felix replied sweetly. 

Changbin tried not to blush. “I think you’ll really like what I have planned next,” he said, standing up from the bench. “We should head there now. It's almost sunset.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I have never been to Seoul, so I'm not sure exactly what it looks like. I tried to do some research to make this as accurate as possible, though. 
> 
> Anyways, I had so much fun writing this chapter! My boys finally get to spend some quality bonding time together!!
> 
> Thank you for reading!!


	11. Chapter Eleven

Thankfully, Felix's shopping bags weren't too heavy, because the hike up Namsan Mountain was exhausting. However, it was completely worth it. Changbin didn't let go of Felix's hand the entire time, and they reached the top just as the sun was setting. Felix thought the pink, yellow, and orange streaks blended across the winter sky looked like an exquisite watercolor painting. He leaned his elbows on the metal railing of the platform they were standing on, resting his head in one of his hands. 

“I love sunsets,” Felix declared, his tone serene. 

Next to him, Changbin hummed in agreement. “Me, too. It matches your hair,” he commented, playfully bumping his shoulder against Felix's. 

The younger boy turned his gaze to Changbin, who continued to look out at the city skyline. Felix felt almost breathless as his eyes scanned Changbin's elegant side profile. “You know, you're a lot softer than you let people think you are.” 

Changbin's lips quirked up into an embarrassed half-smile. “Yeah, well, don't tell anybody. I have a reputation to uphold,” he joked. 

“It's not a bad thing,” Felix assured him. “It's actually my favorite thing about you. I love how soft you are, Binnie.” He laid his head down on Changbin’s steady shoulder, feeling content and relaxed. 

“My favorite thing is when you call me ‘Binnie,’” Changbin confessed, his voice almost a whisper. “When you say my name like that, I feel like I'd do anything for you.”

Felix shivered happily as he snuggled up close to Changbin. “It's a little cold up here,” he mentioned. 

“Here, take my jacket,” Changbin said, quickly removing the article of clothing as Felix lifted his head. 

Now that Changbin was only wearing the white button-up, Felix’s eyes immediately locked onto his toned arms. The shirt was just tight enough, and the thin fabric stretched across his muscles wonderfully. Felix’s teeth pulled at his bottom lip as he wondered how those muscles would feel under his touch. 

Changbin draped the jacket across Felix's shoulders, and the younger boy pulled it tight around himself, already feeling much warmer. 

“Definitely soft,” Felix said fondly, staring deep into Changbin's eyes. 

~ ~ ~ 

“What should we write on it?” Changbin asked, referring to the pink padlock he had just bought from the Namsan gift shop. 

“I have an idea,” Felix announced, uncapping the black marker and beginning to write. 

After a few seconds of suspense, Felix smiled warmly and held up the lock so Changbin could see what he had written. 

Changbin raised an eyebrow. “Changlix?”

Felix's smile grew impossibly bigger. “It's a combination of our names.”

As Changbin gazed back at Felix, he realized just how right the younger boy had been. Changbin was so soft for him. He wholeheartedly meant it when he said he would do anything for Felix, and that scared him a little bit. Changbin wondered how he managed to fall so hard so quickly, but at the same time, he found he didn't actually care how. Felix made him the happiest person on the planet, and every second they spent together was so precious to him. Who was Changbin to question that?

“I love it,” Changbin said dreamily. “It's perfect.”

Changbin probably would have been pretty cold himself on the top of that mountain if Felix’s sunny smile didn't warm his insides so much. And Changbin wouldn't dare take his jacket back no matter how cold he was. Seeing Felix wearing his clothes made his heart swell, and he thought the younger boy looked devastatingly adorable. 

After finally deciding on a spot to attach it, Felix hooked the lock around the railing. Before clicking it shut, he turned to Changbin. 

“Together?” he suggested. 

Changbin nodded, grabbing onto the lock. Felix counted to three, and both boys pushed it closed at the same time. 

“It's there forever now,” Felix said after a short moment of silence. 

“Yeah, it is,” Changbin replied, beaming at he younger boy. He felt his stomach rumble. “I'm starving. Should we go get dinner?”

~ ~ ~ 

Dinner consisted of grilled beef and endless side dishes at the most authentic Korean barbecue restaurant Changbin could find. It was the most delicious meal Felix had ever eaten, and he had the most delightfully charming company to share it with. Despite the older boy's protests, Felix was on intent on paying the bill. He wanted to thank Changbin for giving him the best South Korean experience he could ever ask for. 

When they finally got back to the hotel, Felix was reluctant to say goodbye as he gave the jacket back to Changbin. There was obviously something beyond friendship between the two of the them, and Felix didn't want to miss his chance. 

Changbin walked him across the lobby and hesitantly pressed the button to call the elevator down. It wasn't too late into the night, so Felix saw his opportunity and seized it. 

“Do you want to come up to the room?” Felix blurted out before he lost confidence. He stared straight ahead at his own reflection in the brassy elevator door, unable to look over at Changbin. 

The dark-haired boy took Felix's hand, squeezing it gently. “I thought you'd never ask.” 

~ ~ ~ 

Changbin felt as though the walk down the hallway to Felix's suite would never end. Each step he took made his heart beat faster and his mouth drier. As Felix inserted his keycard into the lock on the door, Changbin noticed the boy's hands were shaking. 

“Here we are,” Felix said, holding the door open for Changbin to enter. 

The room was quite average for a single-person hotel room, small and simple with a full-sized bed in the middle and TV atop a wooden dresser on the far side of the room. Changbin noticed there were no chairs in the room, so he awkwardly stood next to the bed with his hands in his pockets. 

When Felix closed the door and turned on the lamp in the corner of the room, Changbin felt like his senses had suddenly been dialed up to eleven. He became hyper-aware of how hot the back of his neck was. The soft buzzing sound coming from the heating vent was deafening. They were now alone, in a dimly lit hotel room, late at night. The circumstances of the situation made Changbin feel dizzy. 

Felix sat on the edge of the bed and patted the spot next to him, looking up at Changbin expectantly. With the golden lamp light glowing against his skin, Changbin thought the younger boy looked quite angelic. He took a seat next to him, feeling sparks where their knees bumped into each other. 

“Thank you for everything you did for me today.” Felix said sincerely. “I had a really great time.”

Placing a hand on Felix's knee, Changbin smiled at him warmly. “It was my pleasure.”

~ ~ ~ 

Felix's eyes darted down to the hand that rested on his knee. Changbin's touch was more than welcome, in fact, Felix found that he was beginning to crave it. He loved that Changbin was always so gentle with him, like Felix was the most fragile thing in the world. 

~ ~ ~ 

Changbin watched closely as Felix bit his bottom lip. He noticed that the younger boy often did that when he was nervous. Changbin would be lying if he said it didn't drive him crazy. Felix's lips were a weakness for Changbin, and he wanted to kiss those lips until the boy was breathless. 

~ ~ ~ 

When Felix looked back up at Changbin, the adoration in the older boy's eyes causied his breath to catch in his throat. He wished Changbin would just hurry up and kiss him already, before Felix went insane from waiting. 

~ ~ ~

Changbin figured it was now or never. “Can I kiss you?” he whispered. 

~ ~ ~

‘Finally,’ Felix thought, letting out a relieved huff. “Please.”

~ ~ ~ 

Changbin leaned in close, shutting his eyes when he felt Felix's nose brush against his own. He halted for a moment, giving Felix the option to pull away if he wanted. 

~ ~ ~ 

Felix felt Changbin's warm breath against his face, becoming impatient as he waited for the older boy to close the space between them. He licked his lips in anticipation. 

~ ~ ~ 

When Felix didn't move away, Changbin took the hint. He titled his head slightly and placed a sweet, delicate kiss against the boy's lips, which were softer than he had ever imagined. Everything around them disappeared, Changbin's sole focus being on the way Felix sighed and quickly deepened the kiss. He reached a hand up to cup the side of Felix's jaw, stroking his thumb across his velvety soft cheek. 

~ ~ ~ 

Felix felt his whole world turn upside down. Or maybe it turned right side up. He wasn't sure, but he did know that kissing Changbin was his new favorite thing. Felix melted under his touch, and brought up one of his hands to squeeze Changbin's bicep. His muscles were firm and strong, contrasting the smooth, supple skin of his arms. Changbin smiled into the kiss, and their lips separated. 

~ ~ ~

Changbin opened his eyes and gazed into Felix’s dark, dilated pupils. He noticed the boy's breath was short, and felt a little bit proud of himself knowing he was the one who caused that. Felix returned his smile, and Changbin thought he was so beautiful he could cry. 

“Do you believe in soulmates?” Changbin suddenly asked. 

~ ~ ~

Felix wasn't sure what he did to deserve having such an amazing person in his life. It was as if the two of them were puzzle pieces, made to fit together perfectly. 

“Yeah. I think I do,” he answered

~ ~ ~

Changbin used to think he could lose himself in Felix's eyes, but that night, it turns out he actually found himself in them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AAHHH I'm so sorry this is late!! I wanted this chapter to be absolutely perfect, so it took a little longer to write. But I hope you enjoyed reading it!


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is the last chapter, everyone. Sorry it took so long. I was so torn on how I wanted to end this, but I think I'm mostly satisfied. However, this is definitely not the last time I will write figure skater Changlix!! I have so many other ideas for them, and I love this universe too much to say goodbye to it forever. Thank you to everyone who has read and left kudos, you guys have no idea how much it means to me!!

Felix clung firmly to Changbin's arm, as if the older boy would float away if he let go. The check-in line at the airport wasn't too long, and while most people would consider that a blessing, Changbin wished it was much longer. In a few minutes, he would have to say goodbye to Felix for… well, who knows how long. Changbin was aware that Felix had to go home eventually, but it wasn't fair, he thought, how far apart they lived from each other. He wondered for a moment if it would be considered crazy for him to impulse-buy a plane ticket to Sydney. 

When they had kissed for the first time, Changbin felt something inside of him light up. The two boys cuddled on the hotel bed the rest of the night, watching movies and ordering desserts from room service. Changbin had never been happier in his life, and he had kissed Felix as many times he could get away with. The last thing he remembered was Felix laying his head on his chest, Changbin carding his fingers through the boy’s soft orange hair as they both drifted off to sleep. 

Changbin peered over at the boy next to him. Felix looked especially cute wearing his bright yellow backpack, but his sorrowful expression made Changbin’s heart ache. 

~ ~ ~ 

Felix's backpack felt especially heavy on his shoulders as he walked from the check-in counter towards the security gate. He could feel the excessive amount of tension in Changbin's arm muscles as he held on tight. The dark-haired boy had been quieter than usual all morning, and Felix knew Changbin was dreading the next few moments just as much as he was. Squeezing his arm, Felix gave him a small smile in an attempt to ease both of their anxieties. 

The past weekend had been the best weekend of Felix's life. Changbin's kisses were sweeter than the strawberry bingsu they had fed to each other the night before. When Changbin had officially asked him to be his boyfriend, Felix couldn't say ‘yes’ fast enough. The older boy held him close as they slept, and Felix had woken up feeling cozy and warm in Changbin's embrace. 

There were only two more people ahead of them in line, and Felix’s throat was beginning to feel tight. Changbin turned to him, taking both of the boy’s hands in his. 

~ ~ ~ 

Changbin had been wracking his brain all morning for a proper way to say goodbye to Felix, but he came out empty-handed. He figured it would probably be best to just speak from the heart anyway. 

Clearing his throat, Changbin looked deep into Felix's sad eyes. “I don't really know where to begin. I’m, uh… I feel…“ He stopped himself and took a deep breath. “When we first met, I was immediately taken by you. I thought you were way too perfect be a part of my life.” Changbin smiled, feeling slightly lovesick. “But now, I have no doubts that we were meant to be together.”

Felix looked down at the floor. “I don't want to to say goodbye to you,” he said, his voice breaking. 

“Hey, look at me,” Changbin said softly, lifting Felix's chin with his hand. “This isn't goodbye. It's just… ‘see you later.’” Felix’s eyes were teary, and it took all of Changbin's willpower not to break down and cry. 

~ ~ ~ 

“Promise you’ll call me everyday?” Felix asked, the tears in his eyes blurring his vision. 

“I promise, babe,” Changbin answered, stroking the earring he had bought in Felix's ear. 

Hearing Changbin call him ‘babe’ made Felix's heart swell. He surged forward to press a passionate kiss to Changbin's lips, unable to care who was watching them. Felix wrapped his arms around Changbin's neck, and Changbin's hands settled on the younger boy's hips. The kiss was full of everything they wanted to say each other, but couldn't find the words for. Felix breathed in sharply through his nose as he felt Changbin's tongue glide over his bottom lip.

Feeling overwhelmed, Felix pulled away. He looked fiercely into his boyfriend’s eyes, trying to commit them to memory. He blinked hard to clear the tears, feeling them roll down his cheeks. “I'll miss you,” he whispered. 

~ ~ ~ 

Lifting up a hand to caress Felix's cheek, Changbin wiped the tears away with his thumb. “I'll miss you, too,” he said sincerely, rising up on his tiptoes to kiss Felix's forehead. 

Changbin’s heart hurt terribly, but he wanted to stay strong for his boyfriend. He nodded towards the security gate. “You should go. You don't want to miss your flight.”

~ ~ ~ 

Felix actually wouldn't have minded if he missed his flight. He wished he could have more time with Changbin, but he knew this wouldn't be the last time they would see each other. Felix glanced back and forth between the boy in front of him and the security gate, realizing this was it. The moment he had to let go. 

Changbin pulled him into a tight hug, resting a hand on the back of the younger boy's head. Felix wrapped his arms around Changbin's waist and buried his face in the crook of his neck, breathing in the warm fragrance of his cinnamon-scented body wash. 

“Sir, your boarding pass, please,” the woman at the security podium requested. Felix reluctantly broke away from the hug and grabbed Changbin's hand. He took his boarding pass out his coat pocket, handing it to the woman, who scanned it and gave it back to Felix. He stole one last glance at Changbin before walking ahead, their hands slowly slipping apart. 

~ ~ ~

Watching Felix walk away was the most difficult thing Changbin had ever endured. He kept his eyes on Felix as the boy worked his way through security. Before rounding the corner to the departure hall, Felix looked behind himself and smiled weakly at the older boy. Changbin was immediately reminded of the day they met, when he watched Felix walk away from him the first time, wondering if he would ever see the boy again. But this time, Changbin knew for sure he would see Felix again. They belonged to each other, and no amount of distance could ever keep them apart.


End file.
